First Post Op Follow Up Appt

I made a pan of chocolate chip cookie bars to split with the bariatric nurses that took care of me last week and the bariatric office.  My appointment was at 9:15 but Dr G. wasn't in yet -- he was on call for general surgeries and had to do one in Gulf Breeze this morning.

Nurse Jennifer took me back to get my vitals -- my BP was 148/87 or something, which I thought was kind of high, but she said that was normal.

This morning I did weigh myself and it was an even 222 lbs.  Nurse Jennifer weighed me in at 222.8. According to them, my "official" surgery weight was 240.9, so they say I lost 18.1 lbs. since surgery.  But they took that 240.9 weight on 6/11 which was 5 days pre op -- I lost even more weight on my liquid diet after that.

I'm sticking to my HIGH weight of 250.0 and deducting what I get at home, so officially I'm down 27.2 lbs.  What a difference 27 lbs has made.  I am amazed how much better I feel so far, how great my clothes fit, and I think I am sleeping better, but won't know for sure until I get back to work.  I am not getting up at 5 AM while I'm off, so might be tougher next week -- but maybe not!

When I finally got to meet w/Dr. G., he seemed surprised I had lost weight (WTH?).  He said I could start my pureed diet today and I will be on that for three weeks (through July 18th), then I will transition over to Phase 4 -- Soft foods.  He also said I may resume all of my meds and can expect to be on all of them for 6 months post-op, then they will do labs on me to see how my vitamin levels are.  I will also be starting my vitamin regimen.  I need to fill up my pill organizer today so I can start up everything tomorrow.

Dr. G wanted to look at my incisions and he said they looked good.  I told him that there were two that were way more sore than the others and pointed them out to him.  The worst looking one was the one he pulled my resected stomach out of....the 2nd to the worst was the one he had to stretch for his instrument.  Each of the incisions still has the surgical glue on top of it -- I am allowed to peel it off in 10 days if it hasn't already come off, but now that I look at them, they are starting to peel a bit.

I also asked Dr. G about the 2nd hernia he said he fixed -- he mentioned it to me the day after surgery but I didn't catch what kind it was.  It was a diaphragmatic hernia.  Which means that right next to my hiatus I had another very small hole along my diaphragm.  I asked him if there would've been any side effects to having that and he said that organs could have sunk into it or possible pushed through, but there was fat in the hole so it may not have happened.  He closed it up for me.

My next visit it 6 weeks post-op (on 8/6).

So of course I was SUPER excited to be on pureed foods and I went home and made my first pureed meal.  I had a Starkist Creations Tuna packet (Herbs & Garlic flavor), a single dill spear, and a tablespoon of Olive Oil Mayo.  Stuck all of that into my Ninja and WA-LA!  It was sure tasty and different but I barely ate much before I was full.  I am going to finish it off for dinner I think.

I have been doing better getting my fluids down -- I am able to take 3 "gulps" every few minutes or so and that is helping. I make sure to carry water or something with me every where I go so I can keep sipping.

Protein hasn't been great -- I was getting maybe 10-20 grams down a day, but I think Phase 3 will help with that. Oh and I "cheated" a bit last night -- I bought watermelon yesterday thinking I was going to soft foods today and since Rich doesn't eat it, I had a piece.  I took small bites and waited between bites to see how my stomach would do.  I chewed it well and it wasn't a problem.  I am planning to finish what I bought over the weekend and I think it counts a little as fluids too.

I think for breakfast I am going to make eggs and either puree them or just chew chew chew each bite.  I can't wait to find some more recipes -- but I have a feeling I'll be eating a lot of eggs and tuna in the next three weeks.

Ohhh and while I was shopping at Publix yesterday, I just happened to notice a thermos on their shelves that I have on my Amazon wish list.  It is sooooooo super darn cute and will be perfect to throw my oatmeal/cream of wheat/eggs into when I return to work.